New Jersey Legionnaires' disease outbreak leaves 5 dead after 22 are sickened

Twenty-two cases of Legionnaires’ disease have been confirmed in Union County since March and five of those people have died, New Jersey health officials said Friday.

Health officials described those who died from the disease as five “older adults” who had significant other health problems. The 22 cases between March 8 and May 13 all involved people who live in or visited Union County, though health officials did not provide any more specific information about the outbreak, which they described as a “cluster.”

“This is a continuing investigation. The risk to any resident of, or recent visitor to Union County is very small,” said New Jersey Health Commissioner Dr. Shereef Elnahal. “Out of an abundance of caution, the department recommends that individuals who live in Union County who become ill with pneumonia-like/respiratory symptoms, such as fever, chills, cough, shortness of breath, muscle aches, and headache visit their healthcare provider.”

A department spokesman said officials haven’t been able to pin down a specific location where the bacteria came from. “We haven’t identified a confirmed source,” the spokeswoman said. “We’re still re-interviewing the individuals who got sick. It’s a complex investigation.”

Read more: https://www.nj.com/union/2019/05/nj-legionnaires-disease-outbreak-leaves-5-dead-after-22-are-sickened-in-union-county.html